Solar Guide for Tri-State Electric Member Corp Customers

If you're a Tri-State Electric Member Corp customer considering solar energy, you're making a smart financial decision. With residential electricity rates averaging 14.68 cents per kWh, solar panels can dramatically reduce or even eliminate your monthly electric bill. The typical Tri-State Electric Member Corp customer spends approximately $117 per month on electricity — money that could be working for you instead of going to the utility.

North Carolina service area

Tri-State Electric Member Corp has a full retail rate net metering policy. This is one of the best net metering structures available — you receive full retail rate credits of 14.68¢/kWh for every excess kilowatt-hour your solar system sends to the grid. This means your solar panels generate maximum value, as surplus energy produced during sunny afternoons offsets your evening and nighttime consumption at the same rate.

An 8kW solar system for a Tri-State Electric Member Corp customer costs approximately $21,440 before the 30% federal Investment Tax Credit. After the ITC, your net cost drops to about $15,008. This system produces enough clean energy to save you approximately $1,749 per year, resulting in a payback period of roughly 7.6 years.

After your system pays for itself, you'll enjoy 15+ years of dramatically reduced electricity costs. Over a 25-year period, total savings for Tri-State Electric Member Corp customers are estimated at $43,725 — and that's without accounting for the likely 2-3% annual increase in electricity rates that would make your savings even greater.